he surely does! his smiles, his laughter, his gentleness, his kindness, his respect for elders, his generosity–these are hawaii values that he shares with the world. he brings those gifts with him everywhere!

I just met a young woman from Indonesia. We talked about President Obama and his childhood there, and how it shaped his personality. She said the children (& parents) in the town where he grew up, were beyond excited when he won re-election. — We are really blessed to have President Obama as our prez in these times. — Although, Alaska is a red state, and he lost the election here, I am excited that he won in the Anchorage School District mock election! – I am hopeful that the new generation will pull us through this mess. — I read some comments from members of the Occupy Movement, stating that they realize the political infrastructure is the way it is, and want their members to gear up to run for political office, saying that if the Teapartiers can do it, so can they. But, then one member made the comment, that he would, but he has a felony charge. ☺

Very right. Amk, have we told you how much we wimmin love you? (No disrespect to you lovely wife) You are so brilliant, full of fun, and a great spark to this beautiful family. I appreciate you so much.HZ

Ryan is an ideologue. Very rigid. I don’t think he even understands the concept of “negotiating” . If at least he was good at math. I would love to be a fly on the wall to see how people like Tim Geitner and Jack Lew will take him to school…

Boehner can’t be serious. Paul Ryan is still delusional claiming that his policies are popular, despite all evidence to the contrary. They will get a smackdown for the second time in only a few weeks. They don’t seem to understand that the President doesn’t have to do anything here.

Word of advice: Don’t click on any links in unsolicited direct messages. They’re attempts at hacking your account. If you get any weird direct messages about people seeing you doing something weird on facebook or people claiming there’s someone saying bad things about you, don’t fall for it. Just delete the message – don’t open any link associated witth it.

Thank you for bringing this. It’s absolutely brilliant, and the best piece of work she’s done, in my opinion. She correctly stated that both the President and Aung San Suu Kyi are Nobel Laureates, and she had the best smile of pride on her face the whole time. Alex Wagner’s mother is Burmese, and I think this visit was especially important to her. This is a must-see bit of video – absolutely brilliant!

Theo67, thanks for sharing about Alex’s mother. Beautiful. I was already crying(with joyful tears) and Alex gave me more joyful tears as she reported on our beautiful president.

Tears also came to me about our wonderful SOS making this trip with POB as their last trip together as our SOS with her president. Oh, the joy of the heart of POB and how he wants and does the best that he can to bring people together. I am so grateful that he and SOS Clinton got to serve together in his Cabinet. What another glorious chapter in her book as she writes. They make a great team.

I am so sure that they will have a great time as they conclude their trip. Beautiful job by Alex tonight.HZ

This is what brings me the most joy about the President getting a second term: that he can actually just focus on the work that led him into politics, and continue with implementing that hopeful vision he has for the world. He sees the world in the best possible way, with an optimistic heart – and I want to live in that world that he sees. I’m so glad that he’ll be able to continue his work for another four years. These few days in Asia are why it’s so important that he continues – he gives hope the once hopeless.

Chips and all of TODville, I want to thank you all for this great place. I stayed up to listen to the President’s speech in Burma early this morning. A friend asked why I would do that when I could watch it on youtube late. I told her there is nothing better than listening to it live, it almost helps you to feel you are there. I am sorry I missed the shirt! Reading about it is so naughty!!! Now off to bed, it has been a very long day.

mtmarilyn – I feel the same. My sister asked me why I was staying up late two nights in a row, when we knew that Chips would post the video today. There’s just something about being there with the President when he actually makes history. I want to live the moment. And the funny thing is, after only four hours of sleep across two days, I felt strangely energized today. Seeing those images from Burma and Thailand and Cambodia, and knowing that the Asian people are coming into their own, and they have a guide to the future in President Obama who is showing them the best that can be, if they pursue good things for their people – it’s just beyond any words I have to describe. He’s just stunningly awesome.

Have a restful and wonderful evening, Mtmarilyn. I know what you mean about watching our president while it is happening. I do not know how to do the DVR yet, and really do not have any desire so far. Getting a better tv because of my eyesight, so I am waiting for delivery.

My did I have a lovely birthday. Visits, new iPhone and now another tv for my bedroom. I do not like a tv in the bedroom, but since it is just one now, I can stay in my bedroom and not have to go to my office room. Nice when the bones are hurting. My beautiful brother saw how his sis is having difficulty get up so quickly, so he makes it nice for me in my old age. Just a complete sweetheart and thoughtful young man. I am so grateful for so much love and concern from him.

I am trying to learn how to use the iPhone. However, I have the time now to take my time and read slowly and play around with it.

Dear Sweet HZ, I’m so glad to hear your brother is taking good care of you and helping to keep you as comfortable as possible. You deserve all the love & care he and the rest of us can muster. I’m sending up prayers for healing grace for you. May your pain be eased and your eyesight sharpened. Take care love!

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion to develop a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to 300 C.

Jim had an awful day fishing on the lake, sitting in the blazing sun all day without catching a single one. On his way home, he stopped at the supermarket and ordered four catfish. He told the fish salesman, “Pick four large ones out and throw them at me, will you?”

“Why do you want me to throw them at you?”

“Because I want to tell my wife that I caught them.”

“Okay, but I suggest that you take the orange trout.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because your wife came in earlier today and said that if you came by, I should tell you to take orange trout. That’s what she’d like for supper tonight.”

A father asked his son, Little Johnny, if he knew about the birds and the bees.

“I don’t want to know!” Little Johnny said, exploding and bursting into tears. Confused, his father asked Little Johnny what was wrong.

“Oh Pop,” Johnny sobbed, “for me there was no Santa Claus at age six, no Easter Bunny at seven, and no Tooth Fairy at eight. And if you’re telling me now that grown ups don’t really have sex, I’ve got nothing left to live for”.

God, they must be so very tired. Flying across the globe is hard enough, but they had to juggle visiting all those countries, with trying to get Israelis and Palestinians not to massacre each other, as well as soothing the baby egos of those Capitol Hill leaders over the ” fiscal cliff” ( he apparently was on the phone with them too). How do they do it?????
Sec Clinton deserve her rest. If I were her, I’d choose a peaceful place, rest, sleep, read, wind down and not answer my phone for at least a year.

Hillary Clinton on her way to Israel. Why do people think war will solve anything? I mean both side, Israel and Hamas. It’s clear we have not learn one thing from all the terrible wars which has gone on before. Watching the was is going on over there which the young kids being kill is terrible.

Speaking of Mitt, I heard he and Ann went to see the new Twilight movie. Kind of strange Mitt would want to see a movie about young vampires lovers. Oh course I have no idea exactly what the movie was about, I’ve never seen one of the movies, heard about it. I would think Mitt might would have chosen the new Lincoln movie. Well anyway who cares what movie Mitt goes to see. He’s History. Thank God.

So if you think the GOP is losing it now, just wait for the mega-tantrum to come when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada tries to take away baby’s toys.
No one put it better than has Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein, who previewed this controversy, saying it’s high time to rein in the runaway filibuster.
“The problem with a president promising to ‘change Washington’ is that the presidency isn’t the part of Washington that’s broken,” Klein noted. “The systemic gridlock, dysfunction and polarization that so frustrates the country isn’t located in the executive branch. It’s centered in Congress. And one of its key enablers is Senate Rule XXII.”
That, folks, is the filibuster rule.
It has become an essential part of the Republican obstruction strategy that the Party of No has undertaken since President Barack Obama’s first term in the White House.
It will be — unless reformed — an essential part of the strategy to undo the voters’ mandate in the president’s second term.
And oh, the damage it has wrought.
As it’s now construed, the rule allows a mere 41 senators out of the 100 in the chamber to completely bring the business of the nation to a halt.
Worse, these senators don’t have to do anything except watch the train derail before it arrives at the station. All it takes is their unwillingness to vote for cloture — essentially shutting off the promise of endless debate — which is enough to deny the legislative efforts of the other 59 senators.
This is a point gravely misunderstood by citizens who criticize the so-called “gridlock” in Washington, assigning the blame to both major parties when in fact it’s only one major party — the Republicans — who are doing all the damage.
Republicans are fond of pointing to “Democratic control of Congress” after the blue wave-election of 2006 in which the Dems regained numerical control of both houses.
Yet the facts are these: the Democrats had a super-majority for a period of less than two years until the “Tea Party-wave” election gave Republicans the U.S. House majority in 2010. It was enough time to get a few good things done, but not enough time to completely reverse the damage of the Bush years.

I’m loath to give the Republicans advice, but I’d humbly suggest that rather than giving their organization an uncomfortable exam just to change their tone, technology and turnout, they consider changing their ideas.
And I’d suggest they start by looking at their position on freedom.
The Republican Party has a major credibility gap on that issue. Why? The Republicans are for free enterprise, but not free people. And that is their fundamental problem.
Ask any Republican about the party’s core values and they’ll list a bunch of variations of the word, “freedom.” Free enterprise, free markets, free trade, economic freedom, freedom from taxation and regulation … liberty, unchaining the private sector, “Don’t Tread On Me” flags … basically get the government out of the way so private action can flourish. Like a bunch of “Bravehearts,” they just want their “freeeeeeeeeedom!!”
But their freedom only applies to businesses, not individuals.

President Obama will host President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico at the White House on Tuesday, November 27. The President looks forward to meeting President-elect Peña Nieto and hearing about his vision for leading Mexico over the next six years. They plan to discuss a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues during their Oval Office meeting. The President welcomes the opportunity to underscore the shared values and strong bonds of friendship between the United States and Mexico. The United States remains committed to work in partnership with Mexico to increase economic competitiveness in both countries, promote regional development, advance bilateral efforts to develop a secure and efficient 21st Century Border, and address our common security challenges.

It’s hilarious watching Joe Scarborough suck up to Nate Silver after calling “a joke” during the election. Joe says he (Scarborough) always predicted Pres. Obama would win. He also threw Gallup under the bus and said they were wrong all along and he called it. I had to crack up because there is endless footage of him hailing Gallup as the best thing since sliced pie and using it to justify a Romney win. 😆

I hope this is correct Jovie. But the idea of the US possibly evacuating US citizens from Israel for the first time, http://debka.com/# , and sending SoS there from SE Asia sends the signal that PBO has serious concerns.